NBA Live 14 Controls, Signature Styles, and Coaching Strategies

EA Sports today released more on the controls for NBA Live 14, performing the signature style dribbling moves for various players, and the depth of coaching styles and strategies. It’s all very good information that is impressive in the depth it will provide users but without showing everything in context of an actual game, and continuing to hold back looks at extended unedited footage, will likely continue to ring hollow for most.

♦The most important thing to keep in mind when stringing together moves and breaking down defenders is maintaining the rhythm of the dribble. Simply spamming flicks and holds on the right stick will be largely ineffective, and defenders will simply wait you out or, worse yet, poke the ball loose for a turnover. However, by waiting for each move to end before going into the next one, you’re able to more effectively confuse the defense and blow past for the bucket or the pass. It’s critical to pay attention to the speed at which your chosen player performs his crossovers, hesitations and other moves, as that will significantly affect the timing. Due to the strengths and weakness of the ball handler, you will want to attack the defense differently. Kyrie has an explosive, quick style which means his dribbles are going to be fast and furious. Carmelo’s style is more methodical, so you’ll be looking to lull a defender by working off his hesitation move. Since you have to respect his jumper, his hesitation move becomes even more devastating.

♦Each player’s style is unique, so it’s important to understand your chosen players speed, quickness and signature moves in order to utilize him effectively. Remember that this is a rhythm-based dribble system, and that you can branch into your next move, shot, or pass as soon as the ball is in your hands. For example, you could do the same signature move twice; though branching out of it at different times could give you two different first-step speeds. You can jump right in and play, but once you do it becomes a thing of beauty.

♦A few specific things to call out here, as they’ll help you maximize your defensive potential. Utilizing the slides on the right stick will allow you to quickly react to drives and changes in direction, letting you stay in front of him and force him away from the basket. The right stick also allows you to attempt a dig steal, contest, and take a charge. Also worth noting is the auto-charge feature, which lets you absorb contact and draw the foul without having to push a button. Simply set yourself in front of the ball-handler and if he bulldozes into you while you’ve got position you’ll likely get the whistle and take control of the ball. It’s important to stress that we have balanced this feature to insure that there is a proper ratio of blocks/flops/charges called.

♦In addition to on-court defensive controls NBA Live 14 offers the deepest coaching options in franchise history. For the first time you will be playing against team specific defenses. You may have success in the pick and roll versus New York but you may struggle the next night against Boston. As a user you have the ability to change these at the team or individual level. For instance, if you like the Bulls scheme on the pick and roll but you would like to alter that when playing against Rondo you can. We have also let you adjust your gameplan on the fly.

♦Before each game you can set up you strategy in various areas from how strongly you pressure the ball to how your guys fight through screens. Knowing who you’re matched up against and the opponent’s tendencies will prove to be a critical element of coaching, as you can tailor your play style on both offensive and defense to nullify the other team’s strengths and exploit their weaknesses.

♦This depth of strategy works both ways, as AI coaches and players are also aware of various situations and adjust their defense accordingly. For instance, the AI knows which player is setting a screen and will react accordingly. If you bring up a Stretch 4 don’t expect the defense to hang back and let him pop out and shoot threes. Instead, defenders will continue to cover him as he floats outside, denying him the ball and contesting the shot.

Ready for some 5 on 5 video. This looks nice and the players shot motion looks a lot better than the ones on 2k. If anyone denies that then it’s clear that they are hating. Graphically 2k still looks tons better but if this bounce tek ish works as smooth as it does when it comes to game play, it’s a win.

I’m interested in seeing player collision reaction, can you block dunks, Crowd interactions during visitors free throws, dive for ball out of bounds, how players and coaches interact on sidelines. If all that passes the test, I’m in. I like the way 2k looks but I’m not a fan of the game play

Jason Lewon

doesn’t look very accessible to me

BgWorld

Some cool ideas here but Ill believe it when I see it. Show us 5 on 5 gameplay and even pull out specific instances on how those coaching moves work or fall apart based on the settings against certain teams and players. That would get me interested.

Nathan Shane Long

NBA2K has the visual edge but Live 14 has the gameplay edge do you see how SIMPLE and BASIC LIVE 14 controls are you don’t have to shoot and dribble off the same command input the “right thumbstick” and did you see how fluid shooting off the dribble looked looks good EA

Trey Warner

so it has the control setting edge??Can’t really judge the gameplay all on the controls especially since the difference isn’t that big

AndyMP

The controls are simple because there’s a lot less ability for you – the user – to pull off specific moves and nowhere near as many of them. At least, in my opinion.

Nathan Shane Long

What you mean they got all the Dribble moves in the game of basketball possible and it’s all rhythm based mechanics

MoultonHawk

Don’t need to see gameplay tired of asking for it. Will there be a demo, and why doesn’t live offer $10 off for preorders ? Otherwise only fools are going to prorder this game based off Live’s trends.

http://pastapadre.com/ pastapadre

NBA mandates things like the games releasing no earlier than a certain date and for $60.

MoultonHawk

I meant like a $10 Amazon giftcard. At Neww Egg I got $11 off COD Ghosts a few months ago preordering.

MoultonHawk

Fools is strong sorry, just think it’s silly to pay full price if the game isn’t solid. However I’m such a Live fanboy from back int he day i may just be one of the foolish ones.

Skopin

I’m actually excited to try this game out, which I haven’t really felt since NBA 2k10. Hopefully it translates well to 5-on-5. The transitions from dribble to shot looked damn good. Definitely want to see video of the defense though.

I also like that they talked about blocking/charging fouls. They’re so rare in 2k it;s not even funny. To be honest, I have yet to see a charge called in any of my games of 2k14.

karolinakush

if there is a bad comment about this dribbling your just hating period…dont even compare this to 2k dribbling system

CSaint

That looked damn good, I really can’t wait for this game. I just hope they don’t release anything to disappoint me.

MoultonHawk

The dribbling in place videos are torture.

o-dog

This game looks cartoony as fuck.

karolinakush

i cant see it live always looked like this…ppl use to say live had the graphics but 2k had the gameplay but now yall switching it up

jr

I’ve always thought it was the other way around. Heck Dreamcast 2k version was lightyears ahead of anything EA has ever put out but the gameplay just wasnt enough.

Brandon

You must be talking about 2K gameplay,right?

Rodney Thomas

Looks awesome. Online fidelity and gameplay will seal it for me. I’ve grown sick of the 2k monopoly.

BRAB

Monopoly? There never was one. The truth is no other company was willing to trade punches and compete with 2k until now.

You want to know monopoly? Try EA and Madden. They paid hundreds of millions to take 2k and every other company off the playing field and destroyed NFL gaming in the process.

Good for EA to finally step it up because I am all for competition.

Rodney Thomas

Regardless if the competition makes a game or not, 2k had a monopoly based on that very fact. If you’re happy for competition, why are your panties in a bunch? Man up bro.

BRAB

Panties up in a bunch?

I am just educating. It seems you still do not know what “monopoly” is.

Do YOU know what a monopoly is? My definition of a 2K monopoly holds true as 2K was in exclusive control of the NBA commodity. It’s TRUE that they aren’t actual owners, but with their product being recognized as the de facto standard, other firms have been unable to produce a product worthy of competition. This isn’t a call to arms against 2k (I love their sports games), but rather an excited consumer looking forward to more creativity in the marketplace. NBA 2k14 is NO DIFFERENT than NBA 2k11 other than rosters, and the online element has SIGNIFICANTLY decayed during NBA Live’s absence. With no direct competitor, why would 2K care about updating their servers when they know that NBA Fans are going to buy their product simply because it’s the ONLY game out!

Jay (The Truth)

You’re right and wrong. NBA 2K hasnt been a self created monopoly (Thus use of the term “Monopoly” isnt entirely accurate), but because of a series of circumstances (Slow decay of sports game market, EA/Live collapse, production cost increase, etc) they’ve enjoyed a monopoly like situation as the NBA 2K franchise has (Conveniently) peaked during the years when it had no market competitor (2011, 2011, 2013). Purely just good timing.

Skopin

Monopoly isn’t the right word. They have been the only game on the market, but they weren’t stopping anyone else from making a game.

Rodney Thomas

You don’t have to legally stop somebody from making a product to have a monopoly. Due to EAs inability to create a compelling product to compete, this allowed 2K to have an NBA monopoly.

Greg

How the hell does2K have a monopoly? EA had 3 chances to make a basketball game since NBA Live 10 came out and they failed each time. EA just couldn’t challenge 2K and they knew it. EA has the monopoly on the NFL with the exclusive license that they ran out and got when ESPN NFL 2K5 scared the living shit out of them.

Skopin

Actually, the NFL pushed for exclusivity. EA just had more money to throw at the license.

Keith.

This has been proven false, with the documents filed in the Pecover case. EA pushed for the deal and Roger Goodell took ‘em up on it.

karolinakush

i knew live would have wade shoe on the game

jr

Lmmfao

jr

Pretty sure you know that’s not gonna happen so I can’t understand why you even said that. If it was an attempt at humor, you failed. But Anywho, like I said, I’m ready to see real off screen game play video. I will go from there.

Iown You

You can’t really go too far until you remove the stick…

jr

Wow.

Jay (The Truth)

Looks pretty good. Depth in dribbling animations and modifiers have alot of potential. Taking a defender off the dribble should have alot of variation depending on situation and player. Seems like Live 14 accommodates.

Julian M Williams

Dribbling looks good I cant deny that, but what about everything else? And people have played the next gen 2k. And although its similar said its a very good game. Its not a current gen port. I was shittin on live but I enjoyed this video. Now that we see dribbling lets see defense, rebounding and some shots.

jack-trippa

Typical of EA, they think that the customers are dumb..We are waking up to all of your B.S. sales pitch. If they were confident in their game, they would show us gameplay. who cares about dribbling, give us a complete game, which you guys fail to do year in and year out. EA put out great soccer and hockey games, but when it comes to football, baseball and basketball, they put out crap.

Skopin

I always thought MVP baseball was one of the best baseball games on the PS2, from what I’ve read/seen.

Greg

They can show all the fancy ass dribbling moves all they want and it’s not going to matter until they show some REAL 5 on 5 GAMEPLAY videos. This game is out in less than 2 weeks and they are scared to put out any gameplay videos. Shouldn’t that tell you guys something?

B-Dog

LMAO! EA won’t even show any gameplay with only 2 weeks til launch yet they’re showing us more dribbling moves and screenshots of COACHING OPTIONS? LOL! They must have zero confidence in this game! Very poor marketing job on a game that needs to really make an impression because of the past 3 failures. They actually think they’re gonna win fans over by NOT showing the game? Even crack dealers let you sample the product first! LOL!

Greg

I totally agree. Why are they still showing SCREENSHOTS with 12 days to go? Screenshots are something that should be posted early to wet the appetite of than fans. At this stage we should be seeing at least one true gameplay video every couple of days. Not videos of fancy dribbling moves with nobody around the player that’s dribbling. Good job EA, you’re burying this game before it even comes out.

Corey G

I want to see the reaction of the ball off the rim from a missed shot. I’m hoping it doesn’t have that rubbery feel that turpentine had in the past. Looking forward to having other options, hope it pans out!

Chris Breezy

im sorry i just can get into this game without gameplay. they’ve been bragging about the dribble features since earlier in the year

AndyMP

My concern would be that we’ve seen this stuff before with Live. Mash the right stick, dunk. Mash the right stick, dunk. Dunk, dunk, dunk…

Scott H.

So if something isn’t tailor made for you and has a bit of a learning curve then it’s “horrible?”

I have mastered the 2K controls already and they work great. How about putting in a little time and work to learn them? Seems like some people just want everything in life to be easy as pie. I’d hate to see you try and learn how to play a guitar if you’re bitching about a control scheme on a video game.

Nathan Shane Long

2K controls have always been stupid and retarded such as the reason they have unnecessarily changed them each year the past four years for no good reason the post controls suck as does shooting not to mention how 2K had to basically steal NBA LIVE dribble controls and adapt it to it’s own game to fix ballhandling

Skopin

Video?

Thephenomdre718

2k looks beautiful and I want it so bad, but I cannot deny what I just saw, lives ball handling is looking real sweet man, sweeter than 2k’s ball mechanic, that’s coming from a 2k fanboy

karolinakush

#JustBeingHonest

optimusp76

What up this is Prime and been saying for yrs but no one cares to listen Live has always had the controls and 2k didnt not saying 2k is a bad game it just lacks the fundamentals in a lot of ways. And with Next Gen consoles coming out and the new engines for both games will be good but EA will come on top cause of the fundamentals of the game and with the power of the consoles things can be done that has never been done.